(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to seating units and, more particularly, to a seating unit having means for locking the bottom and back cushions in place to prevent unauthorized removal.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Seating units such as chairs, love seats and sofas or the like are often used in contract or institutional settings. Such units must be of extra durable construction in order to survive long-term abuse. Typically, the bottom and back cushions of furniture used in institutions such as schools and hospitals are not removable in order to prevent unauthorized removal due to horseplay or theft. However, since the cushions cannot be removed or turned over and used again, the life of such furniture is more limited than desirable.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,695,101, issued to Hoffman, discloses a sofa or the like having a reversible back whereby the back may be upholstered in different colors or materials. The sofa or the like disclosed by Hoffman includes means for securing the back upon the frame of the furniture and for readily releasing and reversing the back.
U.S. Patent 4,045,080, issued to Barecki et.al., discloses a removable insert for a transit chair shell. A plurality of studs protrude from the back of the shell and a plurality of openings in the shell receive the studs. A movable restraining means prevents withdrawal of the studs thereby securely positioning the insert to the chair shell.
One design more suitable for conventional chairs, love seats or sofas is taught by U.S. Pat. No. 4,488,755, issued to Nemschoff. The seating unit, as taught by Nemschoff, includes opposite, upright rigidly connected side members, a reversible bottom. cushion having a back face, and a reversible back cushion having a bottom face. A beam extends laterally between the side members and supports rod-like cantilevered legs which are slidably received in bores in an internal frame in each of the bottom and back cushions. A releasable detent device is located inside each bore which is engaged by each cushion by full installation of the cushion on the legs and prevents outward movement of the cushions.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,395,071 and 4,492,409, both issued to Laird, disclose a somewhat similar approach to solving the same problem. The furniture, as taught by Laird, includes a frame having at least one removable cushion. The cushion has oppositely disposed grooves adapted to receive a corresponding tongue on the frame of the furniture. A latch mechanism is provided within each cushion for cooperating with a mating structure on its associated tongue. Thus, the individual cushions may be removed and replace by another similar cushion or may be turned over and reinstalled.
Such systems have a plurality of individual locks at the rear of each cushion which can be open to allow the cushion to be removed. However, for a typical three-cushion sofa unit, this would require six separate locks to be opened each time it is desired to rotate, clean or otherwise remove the bottom and back cushions.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,755,000, issued to Chairo et.al., also discloses a seating unit having removable and reversible cushions. Like the above-referenced Nemschoff and Laird patents, each cushion is slidably mounted to a frame. The rear portion of the bottom cushion engages the bottom portion of a corresponding back cushion to lock them together. In addition, one of the cushions is also locked to the frame. Thus, a pair of bottom and back cushions may be locked and unlocked together. However, for love seats and sofas having a plurality of bottom and back cushions, separate locks would be required for each pair of back and bottom cushions.
Thus, there remains a need for a new and improved seating unit having lockable cushions which is operable to simultaneously release a plurality of bottom and back cushions without the necessity for operating numerous locks. In addition to providing security for the cushions, the seating unit should provide a pleasing appearance and comfort.